5 ways to boost your confidence at work

From the success of the Women's March to the continual growing conversation around feminism, it's been impossible to miss the increasing number of women's issues in the limelight. Women are also rising through the ranks in business and politics with more female leaders visible now than ever before.

And all this girl power is finally having an impact on 'real' women too - new research from Crunch Accounting has found that the growing number of female world leadership figures is increasing women's confidence in the workplace. The research found that a third of women feel more empowered to speak their mind at work, a fifth feel greater confidence to speak up and have a greater voice in meetings, and one in 10 are more willing to haggle or negotiate a business deal. Hallelujah!

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Identifying role models you admire is one of the many small changes that can have a huge impact on your day-to-day confidence at work, but if you're still struggling to find your feet in the office, heed these five tips from business coach and facilitator, Rachel Gilmore...

Get back to basics

If you’re looking to tackle confidence issues, the best place to start is by figuring out the cause of the problem, or at least the biggest contributors. Very few people are universally nervous about everything. Is your biggest worry public speaking? Have you experienced negative criticism from a particular colleague? Or is it a fear of failure that stops you acting? When you’ve started to understand the issue and where it comes from, a solution will be easier to find.

Shake off the bad vibes

Don’t underestimate the impact negative thinking can have to your confidence. Letting negativity and self-criticism dominate your thoughts will only create a cycle of self-doubt and pessimism. If you’ve made a mistake or not performed as well as you’d hoped, nothing will be gained by focusing on the negatives. Challenge yourself to proactively break the cycle by focusing on your strengths and training your mind to hone in on the positives.

Get skilled up

For many people, a blip in self-confidence is often connected to feeling a bit burnt out, or generally stuck in a rut. Research consistently finds employees rate a sense of work purpose and progression as one of the most significant factors in their happiness. If you feel like you’re treading water professionally, it’s almost impossible to feel like you’re growing and improving as a person. Additional training is one way of recapturing that momentum.

Signing up to things like training courses or mentorship programmes is also a great way to feel more confident about the work you’re being asked to deliver. Try reading up on the latest research in your field and check out the professional development opportunities available in your company.

Get physical

Never underestimate how closely connected our emotional confidence and wellbeing is to our physical health. It sounds obvious, but looking after yourself - things like eating well and finding time to exercise - can go a long way to making you feel better about yourself on the inside and ergo, at work.

Pass it on

Chances are you know more about your job than you realise. Passing on skills is a great way to build confidence in your own expertise, and help other people in the process. Why not volunteer to mentor an intern in the office, or develop a few tailored workshops for junior colleagues? There are also plenty of community mentorship schemes training young people across different sectors. Check out your local colleges and universities and see if they are planning any mentorship programmes.

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